Nutopia (production company)
Encyclopedia
Nutopia is a leading independent production company
established in 2008 with offices in London
and Washington DC. It specialises in making international specialist fact-based documentary television programmes and has created a pioneering factual television format - the mega-doc. In 2011 Nutopia ranked 20 in top 100 UK Independent Production Companies .
, a 12-part documentary mini-series aired on the American History Channel. This series combines CGI technology and dramatic re-creations depicting the transition from small agricultural colony to international superpower, including contributions from over 1600 actors and extras, to bring to life some of the USA’s most iconic and important moments. The series was nominated for four Emmy awards (winning the award for ‘Best Sound’) and achieved the highest-rated special documentary in the network's history, with the debut show gaining 5.7 million viewers. The show was also the source of some controversy, with criticisms leveled at the uneven representation of different historical epochs and suggestions that American Great Depression was misrepresented in that it omitted the vital role President Franklin Delano Roosevelt played in the recovery of the economy of the United States in particular Roosevelt's Public Works Administration
as "not working" as well as giving the New Deal
close to no air time.
The series was also aired in the UK and South Africa.
In December 2010 Nutopia's 4 part series The House That Made Me aired on Channel 4
in December 2010. Celebrities Boy George
, Sanjeev Bhaskar
, Michael Barrymore
and Jamelia
were taken back to their childhood homes which had been recreated in great detail, stirring some long-forgotten memories and re-introducing them to the neighbourhoods of their youth.
Autumn 2010 the documentary 9/11: State of Emergency was broadcast on the History Channel US and Channel 4
. With contributions from top American politicians, including Condoleezza Rice
, this production brought together the stories of some of those involved from the world of politics, the military and the fire services, reliving their personal experiences and shedding new light on the tragic events of that day.
Vatican: The Hidden World, aired in the UK in September 2010 on BBC 2. With unprecedented access to the heart of the Catholic Church, this documentary the day-to-day running of the Vatican
, in the year leading up to the Papal visit to the UK.
1st August 2011 Discovery
US aired Rogue Sharks as part of Shark Week. The Nutopia production investigated the rogue shark phenomenon by mixing dramatic accounts of real-life shark attacks with a scientific detective story.
September 2011 the fact-based documentary Targeting Bin Laden aired on History (US) and Bin Laden: Shoot to Kill Channel 4
, covering the top-secret operation to find and kill Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden
. The doc draws on interviews with those inside the White House, including the first interview by President Barack Obama
on the events of the mission, cinematic reconstructions from inside the White House Situation Room
as the Navy Seals storm Bin Laden’s hideaway in Abbottabad.
(Former President of the Discovery Channel
USA and Controller of BBC2 UK) and Laura Franses, (formerly of Raw TV and RDF Media). Board members include Michael Jackson (television executive) and Peter Bazalgette
, Chief Executive at Endemol
.
Other staff members include Helena Tait, Head of Production; Executive Producer Phil Craig is a distinguished filmmaker and writer creator of shows such as the internationally award-winning 9/11 drama-documentary The Flight That Fought Back; Executive Producer Ben Goold runs the specialist factual division and produced America: Story of US; Executive Producer David DeHaney heads up Formats and Entertainment. Nick Metcalfe Executive Producer How We Invented the World for Discovery Networks; Fiona Scott, Head of Development; Harvey Shackleton and Rupert Frisby look after commercial and legal.
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
established in 2008 with offices in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Washington DC. It specialises in making international specialist fact-based documentary television programmes and has created a pioneering factual television format - the mega-doc. In 2011 Nutopia ranked 20 in top 100 UK Independent Production Companies .
Productions
America: The Story of UsAmerica: The Story of Us
America: The Story of Us is a six-part, 12-hour documentary television miniseries that premiered on April 25, 2010, on History...
, a 12-part documentary mini-series aired on the American History Channel. This series combines CGI technology and dramatic re-creations depicting the transition from small agricultural colony to international superpower, including contributions from over 1600 actors and extras, to bring to life some of the USA’s most iconic and important moments. The series was nominated for four Emmy awards (winning the award for ‘Best Sound’) and achieved the highest-rated special documentary in the network's history, with the debut show gaining 5.7 million viewers. The show was also the source of some controversy, with criticisms leveled at the uneven representation of different historical epochs and suggestions that American Great Depression was misrepresented in that it omitted the vital role President Franklin Delano Roosevelt played in the recovery of the economy of the United States in particular Roosevelt's Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
as "not working" as well as giving the New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
close to no air time.
The series was also aired in the UK and South Africa.
In December 2010 Nutopia's 4 part series The House That Made Me aired on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in December 2010. Celebrities Boy George
Boy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, Sanjeev Bhaskar
Sanjeev Bhaskar
Sanjeev Bhaskar, OBE is a British Indian comedian, actor and broadcaster, best known for his work in the BBC Two comedy series Goodness Gracious Me and as host of The Kumars at No. 42...
, Michael Barrymore
Michael Barrymore
Michael Kieron Parker , better known by his stage name Michael Barrymore, is a British comedian who appeared as a presenter of game shows and light entertainment programmes on British television in the 1980s and 1990s. These included Strike It Lucky, My Kind of People, My Kind of Music and Kids Say...
and Jamelia
Jamelia
Jamelia Niela Davis , best known mononymously as Jamelia, is an English singer-songwriter, model, entertainer, television presenter and actress. She is most famous for her use of a cappella and prolific work in the R&B genre...
were taken back to their childhood homes which had been recreated in great detail, stirring some long-forgotten memories and re-introducing them to the neighbourhoods of their youth.
Autumn 2010 the documentary 9/11: State of Emergency was broadcast on the History Channel US and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. With contributions from top American politicians, including Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, this production brought together the stories of some of those involved from the world of politics, the military and the fire services, reliving their personal experiences and shedding new light on the tragic events of that day.
Vatican: The Hidden World, aired in the UK in September 2010 on BBC 2. With unprecedented access to the heart of the Catholic Church, this documentary the day-to-day running of the Vatican
Vatican
Vatican may refer to:*Holy See, the central governing body of the Catholic Church and sovereign entity recognized by international law, consisting of the Pope and the Roman Curia...
, in the year leading up to the Papal visit to the UK.
1st August 2011 Discovery
Discovery
Discovery may refer to:* Discovery , observing or finding something unknown* Discovery , a character's learning something unknown* Discovery , a process in courts of law relating to evidence- Devices :...
US aired Rogue Sharks as part of Shark Week. The Nutopia production investigated the rogue shark phenomenon by mixing dramatic accounts of real-life shark attacks with a scientific detective story.
September 2011 the fact-based documentary Targeting Bin Laden aired on History (US) and Bin Laden: Shoot to Kill Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, covering the top-secret operation to find and kill Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
. The doc draws on interviews with those inside the White House, including the first interview by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
on the events of the mission, cinematic reconstructions from inside the White House Situation Room
White House Situation Room
The White House Situation Room is a conference room and intelligence management center in the basement of the West Wing of the White House. It is run by the National Security Council staff for the use of the President of the United States and his advisors to monitor and deal...
as the Navy Seals storm Bin Laden’s hideaway in Abbottabad.
People
The company was founded by Jane RootJane Root
Jane Root is a creative executive in the media industry, who has run major television networks on both sides of the Atlantic...
(Former President of the Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
USA and Controller of BBC2 UK) and Laura Franses, (formerly of Raw TV and RDF Media). Board members include Michael Jackson (television executive) and Peter Bazalgette
Peter Bazalgette
Peter "Baz" Bazalgette is a British media expert who helped create the independent TV production sector in the UK and went on to be the leading creative figure in the global TV company Endemol....
, Chief Executive at Endemol
Endemol
Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...
.
Other staff members include Helena Tait, Head of Production; Executive Producer Phil Craig is a distinguished filmmaker and writer creator of shows such as the internationally award-winning 9/11 drama-documentary The Flight That Fought Back; Executive Producer Ben Goold runs the specialist factual division and produced America: Story of US; Executive Producer David DeHaney heads up Formats and Entertainment. Nick Metcalfe Executive Producer How We Invented the World for Discovery Networks; Fiona Scott, Head of Development; Harvey Shackleton and Rupert Frisby look after commercial and legal.
External links
- http://www.history.com/
- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/arts/television/18story.html
- http://www.nutopia.com
- http://www.tbivision.com/article.php?category=4&article=903
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2010/apr/21/barack-obama-introduces-history-series
- http://www.absolutezerodegrees.co.uk/Projects/nutopia